Roberta L. Brien

Vice President of Projects

As the Vice President of Projects, Roberta has 18 years of experience in real estate and project management. Before joining the WBDC in 2004, Roberta was most recently employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts where she was a project manager to the Division of Capital Asset Management’s Office of Real Estate. Roberta’s portfolio consisted of planning for the reuse and development of large state hospital properties as well as the sale and leasing of smaller properties throughout the Commonwealth to private citizens and businesses. Ms. Brien’s portfolio consistently represented an annual revenue stream of $1 million in real estate transactions for the Commonwealth.

Prior to her experience with the Commonwealth, Ms. Brien worked as a commercial real estate agent and a site selector for national retail chains where she researched and negotiated development opportunities for her clients. Leading up to her experience as a real estate agent, Ms. Brien was a Transportation Planner for a Regional Planning Agency, providing her with experience in accessing state and federal grant programs as well as a foundation in community planning and development.

Combining real estate with community development and planning, Roberta brings a comprehensive awareness of project management to the WBDC.

Project Experience

– Facilitated the closing and re-use of large former hospital properties inclusive of hundreds of acres, multiple parties of interest, aged facilities, environmental contamination, historical designations, and sensitive political issues,

– Oversight of the redevelopment of 20 Franklin Street into academic and business incubator space,

– Manage and direct the financing of projects utilizing strategies including new market tax credits, historic tax credits, conventional financing, and state and federal grants,